Deutsche Bahn, Bombardier settle 2-year legal spats

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn and Canadian train maker Bombardier said Friday they have agreed to settle out of court two years of legal battles over allegedly defective trains.
"Deutsche Bahn and Bombardier Transportation have agreed to an out-of-court settlement with regard to a number of projects, allowing both sides to settle the long-running disputes amicably," the companies said in a joint statement.
In March 2013, Deutsche Bahn sued Bombardier over "serious defects" in trains used on the suburban S-Bahn rail network in Berlin.
It also sued the Canadian firm for compensation regarding problems, including braking problems, with trains in operation in southwest and southern Germany.
Bombardier, for its part, had dismissed the complaints as "without merit" and "defamatory".
"In the past months, we've worked hard to reach a compromise solution to an extremely complex and difficult situation that is acceptable for both sides," said Deutsche Bahn board member Gerd Becht.
The settlement covered trains used on the suburban S-Bahn network in Berlin, as well as regional and suburban trains in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Wuerttemberg, the statement said.
Bombardier Transportation chief Lutz Bertling described the settlement as a "positive signal for our future cooperation."
Financial details were not disclosed.